See How Donna Lost 53 lbs, Found Energy to Keep Up With Her Kids

Weight loss really suits Donna, a military wife with a Ph.D. in mathematics. Now a very happy customer, Donna's decision to choose Diet-to-Go really added up!

To reward herself for dropping 53 pounds with Diet-to-Go, Donna treated herself to a shape-hugging new outfit, then wore it to the airport to welcome her husband John home from a lengthy tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Airman John's wide eyes and approving glances confirmed for Donna that her figure had changed for the better.

A beaming Donna, who lives near the U.S. Army base in Fayetteville, North Carolina, says another unmistakable sign that she has done well with her weight loss is the extra energy she enjoys while playing with her three young children.

How it all began for Donna

"I started receiving the Diet-to-Go meals to save time when my first son was born; I started it up again after the birth of my twins," Donna says. "I didn't want spend hours in the kitchen preparing meals when I would rather be playing with my children.

"The quantity of food provided was so much more than I expected, I usually kept my fruit or pudding for a mid-afternoon snack. I loved telling people that I have chicken parmesan, baby carrots and angel food cake for dinner or have grilled cheese and a brownie for lunch.

"Of course, I get to tell people often because I receive many comments on how good I look! I know that it will stay off because I'm learning what proper portion sizes are and that you can actually be full eating healthy foods."

Before giving birth to her son Nicky, now 4, Donna watched her weight balloon to an all-time high of 275. It was around that time that Donna heard of Diet-to-Go while listening to the radio.

"I wanted my life as easy as possible after Nicky was born," she says. "I said, 'If they're going to cook for me, I'm there!' It was hard enough to remember to eat, let alone find time for a shower."

A perfect fit

Diet-to-Go proved a perfect fit for Donna. And for six months, she stuck with the plan while her husband served his country abroad.

"I did it for six months before John came home," Donna says. "I didn't tell him what I was doing. I lost 20 pounds the first two months to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight.

"Two months later I broke the 200-pound mark. By the time John was coming home I was down to 185 pounds - I had lost almost 50 pounds and I began shopping for new clothes."

Donna suddenly loved clothes shopping. Gone was the need for snug size 18/20 clothes; she quickly learned that she needed to shop somewhere other than Lane Bryant.

"Shopping was so much fun," Donna recalls. "I got a cute cream shirt and vest that cinched at the waist and I wear them with tight black pants (that's the outfit she's modeling in the photo at right). I was now wearing loose size-12s!

"When John walked off the plane, his jaw hit the floor and he could not take his eyes off of me."

Donna has managed to keep her weight at a healthy level - even after giving birth to her twins, Jason and Catie, who are now nearly two years old.

She notices - and appreciates - the differences her weight loss has made.

"It changes your life," she says. "I can now kneel on the floor without the blood cutting off from my legs! My knees and back no longer ache. And I know how to eat proper portions.

"I am also able to fit onto the rides at amusement parks - and that's important when you have young children. Life is short so enjoy it. I can now feel comfortable in amusement ride seats, small plane seats, and on playground slides!"